Save Power and Save Money
Did you know that when you save power you are not only helping
the environment but you are also taking steps to save money?
Sure it's not a lot of money but every little bit helps when
you are living on a household budget. Over time the saving
start to really add up.
High power consumption is a growing problem and we all need to
learn to use less power in our daily living. It's amazing
how easy it is to save power with very little effort. You
may not even notice the difference in most cases.
Help our planet and your
household budget. It's a win-win!
- Turn down the heat:
Whether
you have electric, natural gas, or oil heating your home you
can save power and money by keeping things a bit cooler.
Put on a sweater and you'll still be comfortable. If you
keep your thermostat set to 68 degrees or less your power consumption
will drop in most cases.
- Change your filters:
Both
your furnace and your air conditioner require good airflow to
run efficiently. Change your air filters regularly and
you'll extend the life of your appliances and you'll use less
power.
- Lower the water temperature:
Keeping your water too hot uses a lot of power and is actually
not very safe. Turn the water heater down to between 120-130
degrees as a general rule. That's plenty hot enough for
showers and it will protect your family from accidental burns.
Any lower and you may run out of hot water which will defeat
your goal to save power.
- Wash with cold water:
New
laundry detergents are so strong that very little is needed
to clean your cloths. Hot water should almost never be
used and warm water can be used sparingly. Your clothes
will come out clean and possibly last longer by not using hot
water.
- Wash large loads of clothing:
The more often you have to run your washer and dryer the more
power you will use. Start washing only large loads of
laundry and you will save water and power, not to mention time
and money.
- Get rid of incandescent bulbs:
The new high-efficient light bulbs burn bright and use much
less power than incandescent bulbs. Use low-watt bulbs
for porch lights and accent lamps.
- Adjust the temperatures on your refrigerator:
Your refrigerator is one of the most power hungry appliances
in your home. Try to set the refrigerator temperature
between 38-42 degrees and your freezer to 0-5 degrees.
Make sure your seal has no leaks to prevent constant running.
Use power saver mode if it's available on your machine.
- Use sleep mode on your computers:
A running computer burns through a lot of power. Take
advantage of the power saving setting on your computer and put
it to sleep when it's not being used. Sure this is a small
savings but every little bit helps.
- Raise the temperature on the air conditioner:
Yes, an air conditioner is wonderful on those hot summer nights
but they really use a lot of energy. Try raising the temperature
to 74 degrees or higher and use the air conditioner for shorter
periods of time Treat yourself by cooling down a bedroom
before going to sleep but don't leave it on all night.
- Unplug what is not being used:
Many appliances are only used once in a while. Unplug
those that are not in use so they don't suck away unnecessary
power. Anything with a clock or a light will slowly use
power and waste money. Even if you only save power in
small amounts it's better than nothing.
Remember, your goal is to save power
and save money. Each of these suggestions may not amount to
much by themselves, but together you will definitely see a savings
in your household budget.
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